Hey there! Ever felt like pulling your hair out trying to get your parents to stick to their exercise routines? You're not alone! Swing by our latest blog where we tackle this all-too-familiar struggle with some heartfelt stories and game-changing advice. We're here to help you turn those frustrating exercise battles into wins, making life smoother and more enjoyable for both you and your ageing family members. Pop over for some real talk and actionable tips—let's get those good vibes rolling!
Above is one of the most common frustrations I hear when people ask for help with an older loved one. It leads to frustration, despair, and probably a fair amount of hair loss for caregivers, health professionals, and even those who need the exercise.
I remember my own mother looking me straight in the eye and saying, "My physio gave me exercises for my knee, but I don’t do them." It felt like she was daring me to argue.
The thing is, she wasn’t lying exactly, but she wasn’t being honest either. She insisted she was fine, even as we watched her limp, trip, and struggle with pain. She refused a walker because it would get in the way of walking the dog. Eventually, she deteriorated so much that one day, she simply couldn’t walk anymore.
We saw the warning signs. She didn’t. We asked her to do something. She didn’t. And that’s the reality many families face. There are signs that something is wrong, and when caught early, action can prevent a downward spiral. But people often don’t take it seriously until something happens.
A cardiologist once told me that risk factors don’t seem like a big deal until they turn into an actual crisis. My wife once saw a magazine photo of a vibrant group of middle-aged women—none of them smokers, drinkers, or junk food lovers—who had all had breast cancer. It wasn’t about blame; it was about recognising risks and acting before disaster strikes.
Frequently, ageing is singled out as a risk factor and blamed for numerous problems. It’s true that older individuals tend to suffer more severe injuries or fatal outcomes from falls than younger people. However, many issues attributed to ageing might be misassigned.
One of my favourite books, Chickenhawk by Robert Mason, offers a fitting analogy. The book recounts Mason’s experiences as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. In one sortie, a helicopter tasked with delivering supplies went missing. With no manifest to detail its cargo, the supply personnel requested that each unit provide a list of the items they believed the helicopter carried. This request turned into an opportunity for every quartermaster to claim any missing equipment as having been on that helicopter. When the supply unit received all the lists, they concluded that if every claimed item were indeed onboard, the helicopter would not have been able to take off!
I see a parallel with ageing: much like the missing helicopter, ageing is often blamed for problems that may be more about misattribution than the actual cause. It’s easy to say, with a resigned sigh, “There’s nothing we can do because you’re old,” without recognising that many issues we label as effects of ageing might be rooted elsewhere.
The key is knowing what we can change and what we can’t. There’s a lot of noise out there, a lot of conflicting advice, and plenty of people claiming to have the magic answer. We’re not here to sell you a secret formula, but we do have the experience and expertise to help guide you and your parent toward meaningful, realistic changes.
If you’re still reading this, you’re probably looking for real solutions. We can offer guidance, supervision, and practical steps to improve your parent’s mobility and quality of life. With the right people, the right actions, and the right timing, we can prevent falls, injuries, and unnecessary suffering—making aging a more enjoyable and independent experience.
If you’d like to know more, get in touch. Our physio can visit your home for a free discovery consultation. Knowing what to do next—with a trusted organisation that gets real results—brings relief, confidence, and a hell of a lot fewer swear words.